| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Appeals Procedures
19. Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to improve social security appeals procedures. [84009]
Mr. Darling: We have made clear our intentions to modernise the welfare state. As part of our plans for improving the Social Security system we are introducing important changes to the decision making and appeals processes. On 22 March this House debated and approved the necessary regulations. The changes will be implemented during the latter half of this year, starting with Child Support on 1 June. The changes aim to help get decisions right first time, resolve disputes at an early stage and deal with appeals more efficiently and quickly.
European Social Model
20. Mr. Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his plans for reforming the European Social Model. [84010]
Angela Eagle: There is no single European Social Model, since member states have developed social provision in different ways, reflecting their own circumstances and traditions. But we want to see social protection systems across Europe modernised by national governments in line with changing needs and circumstances.
Retirement
23. Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of information available to individuals on making adequate provision for retirement. [84013]
24 May 1999 : Column: 48
Mr. Timms:
The Pensions Green Paper published last December set out our proposals for improving the quality of information on pensions for individuals, both in general and in the information people are given about their own pension position. We are taking action in co-operation with employers and the pensions industry to provide both integrated pension forecasts and fuller and better information on projected state and private pension rights.
24. Ms Stuart:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to increase members' confidence in their occupational pensions. [84015]
Mr. Timms:
The Pensions Green Paper we published last December proposed measures to strengthen occupational pension schemes and to increase members' confidence in them. The general direction of the reforms has been widely welcomed. We are working closely with the pensions industry and others in taking the detailed proposals forward.
25. Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the potential cost benefits to those working in industries with high labour turnover rates of using the new stakeholder pension. [84016]
Mr. Timms:
Our proposals for stakeholder pension schemes establish a framework which will ensure that schemes reflect the needs of those who change jobs frequently. Members will be able to ensure that members can stop and restart contributions and, if necessary, transfer their funds to another scheme, without penalty.
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what rules will govern the use of funds which have been transferred into a stakeholder pension from a personal pension, with particular reference to (i) the use of the fund for a tax-free lump sum and (ii) the nature of the annuity which may be bought with the fund. [84548]
Mr. Timms:
The rules applying to transfers into stakeholder pension schemes are currently being considered in the light of responses to the Green Paper "Partnership in Pensions".
26. Mr. Simon Hughes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what remedies are available to people whose (a) social security benefit and (b) child support payments are delayed through no fault of the claimant or applicant. [84017]
Angela Eagle:
Under the Department's standing compensation scheme, the terms of which have been agreed between the Department and the Ombudsman, compensation may be considered where official error or unreasonable delay have led to an actual financial loss.
Where benefit or child support payments are unreasonably delayed (delay must exceed a set period which depends on the benefit concerned) due to official error a special payment can be considered, in recognition of the fact that the customer has lost the use of the sum owed. In such cases the compensatory payment is
24 May 1999 : Column: 49
calculated in the form of interest on the arrears of benefit when they are paid. A copy of the Department's guide to special payments, known as the "Financial Redress for Maladministration", is held in the House of Commons Library.
In addition, if a parent with care of a child is receiving Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), and the non-resident parent does not pay the child support to the parent with care, Income Support or JSA can be paid in its place pending the recovery of the money from the non-resident parent.
As a last resort, if a customer is without funds to cover the period between a claim for benefit and the first payment that is due, crisis loans are available to prevent risk to the health or safety of the applicant and his family.
27. Mr. Stringer:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what targets he has set for reducing fraud in the benefits system. [84018]
Mr. Timms:
For the first time we have set a measurable target for reducing fraud and error. Our target is to reduce the level of fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance, two of the most vulnerable benefits, by 30 per cent., by 2007, with at least a 10 per cent. reduction by March 2002.
28. Mr. Swayne:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set targets for the numbers of lone parents who leave income support as a consequence of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [84020]
Angela Eagle:
In addition to the 12,500 lone parents who have already found jobs as a result of the New Deal for Lone Parents, we have set the Employment Service a target for 1999-2000--to place a further 15,000 lone parents into work.
29. Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the publication date is for the draft legislation for the reform of the Child Support Agency. [84021]
Angela Eagle:
Final decisions on the shape of the reformed scheme and the associated legislative process will be announced shortly.
32. Mrs. Spelman:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has had in response to the Green Paper on the Child Support Agency. [84024]
Angela Eagle:
We have received 1,564 written responses to the Green Paper. My noble Friend the Baroness Hollis of Heigham has also held meetings with more than 40 organisations, academics and other groups with an interest in child support.
30. Mr. Quinn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the value for money provided by Motability cars. [84022]
24 May 1999 : Column: 50
Mr. Bayley:
The Motability contract hire scheme, which covers about 95 per cent. of the vehicles provided, represents substantial value for money for disabled people. Lease costs cover maintenance, comprehensive insurance and roadside assistance. Over 25 per cent. of the over 300 model variants supplied under the scheme by 23 manufacturers are available for less than the weekly higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance of £37 week, and the cheapest vehicle available under the scheme can now be had for less than £24 per week.
33. Mr. Blizzard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the responses to the pensions Green Paper. [84025]
Mr. Timms:
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich (Mr. Henderson) on 17 May 1999, Official Report, column 252.
34. Mr. Blunt:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what studies his Department has carried out into the disincentives to save created by means-tested benefits. [84026]
Angela Eagle:
All those who can save, particularly for their retirement, have a responsibility to do so. In our Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill, we are taking steps to ensure that people of working age are encouraged to save so that they can retire on incomes above anything benefits could ever be expected to provide.
35. Helen Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on improvements proposed through the introduction of new technology in his Department. [84027]
Angela Eagle:
As part of our commitment to modernise the Welfare Service the Department is seeking to transform the way Social Security is delivered. We aim to provide a system which is focused on work for those who can and security for those who cannot, providing a customer focused and integrated service which operates across organisational boundaries to improve quality and integrity.
New Information Technology (IT) is at the core of these modernisation plans. The key elements of our strategy for IT are a corporate data set that holds the necessary information on citizens and a set of front-line systems which allow staff to access that information to deliver the full range of welfare services.
Through this IT strategy the Department will meet the longer term objectives of designing services around people; achieving leverage against fraud and abuse; integrating and improving the accuracy and efficiency of operations and of accounting across the Department; and creating a more joined-up welfare service for the public spanning other Government Departments, local authorities and the voluntary sector.
24 May 1999 : Column: 51
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |